


now it's time to rest

by Rethira



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: Canonical Character Death, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-15
Updated: 2019-10-15
Packaged: 2020-12-16 21:31:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21043103
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rethira/pseuds/Rethira
Summary: the sun is shining, and the birds are singing





	now it's time to rest

**Author's Note:**

> fell deep deep into this cowboy hole over the last few days and just. had to get this out of me

it’s peaceful, dyin’. least, the way arthur’s going. he aches, sure, an’ his chest rattles with every last wheezin’ breath he takes, but his mind feels clear. empty. the fear’s all drained outta him the last few hours, and there ain’t nothin’ arthur can do no more ‘cept for lie here and doze lightly. he’d thought- well, thought the waiting would be worse but it ain’t. it ain’t

the sun’s warm on his face, and the birds are singing

all in all, there’re worse ways to die

and just as arthur’s just convinced himself he’s okay with this, with dyin’ here on the cold hard ground, alone and aching with it, he hears the crunch of a boot against stone

his heart lurches sickeningly, and hope rises up arthur’s throat like the tide. he so wants it to be dutch. he so wants dutch to have come back for him, like he always said he would

but the voice that says, “arthur,” so softly ain’t dutch’s. the quick steps over to him are lighter than dutch’s footsteps ever were, and the hands that reach for arthur’s are gentler than dutch ever was, and arthur’s heart clenches all over again for quite different reasons

“arthur,” charles repeats, voice kind and hopeful enough that arthur’d call it breathtaking if his breath weren’t already taken

even so, arthur manages to draw in a wheezing breath, and breathes out, “charles”

charles makes a noise, and he must kneel down beside arthur even if arthur can’t turn his head to see it. charles touches him, lifts arthur’s head and back, and even that makes arthur groan, his ribs protesting. but it’s only for a moment, and then charles settles arthur back down, arthur’s head resting on charles’ thigh

charles ain’t that much softer’n the rocks arthur’s lyin’ on, but arthur ain’t gonna tell him that

for a while, arthur just lies there, head pillowed in charles’ lap. charles don’t say much, but his hand runs gentle-like through arthur’s hair, and that’s as clear as anythin’ charles could ever say

“thought y’were…” arthur croaks, strength failing him before he can finish his thought aloud

charles stays silent for a long moment after, before he says, “had to come back,” and if his voice is suspiciously quiet then arthur will do the kindness of not noticin’

arthur wishes he could reach for charles’ hand now, but his strength’s almost entirely gone now. but it seems like charles can sense his feelin’, or maybe he’s just feelin’ the same, and he lifts arthur’s hand off the stone and laces their fingers together

arthur squeezes, best he can

he hadn’t really wanted charles t’ see him like this. been a relief in some ways, that charles had fallen in with the wapiti indians. arthur’d been so sure then, he’d never see charles again, and though it had hurt near worse than when mary’d sent the damn ring back, there’d also been something glad in him, that charles wouldn’t see the consumption take him

seems silly now, that arthur’s stupid pride almost kept him from this

charles is warm, his hands gentle. the birds are still singin’, and the sun’s shining over the horizon. even the ground don’t feel quite so hard anymore

it’s peaceful, dyin’

(some half an hour later, when arthur’s hand has gone lax in his, and the painful sounding rattle in arthur’s chest has finally stopped, charles brushes the hair outta arthur’s face, and presses one last kiss to arthur’s forehead)


End file.
